Introduction: Mini Laboratory Power Supply
In addition to the multimeter, a laboratory power supply is essential for discovering and developing electronics. The output voltage of a laboratory power supply can be adjusted continuously. For testing LEDs, the output of constant current is often helpful.
The goal of this project is to build an inexpensive laboratory power supply that meets these requirements and is small and mobile. The core of the power supply will be the module ZK-4KX. The module is supplied with 5-30V DC current on the input side. It generates a voltage of 0.5V - 30V on the output side, even if the input voltage is lower than the output voltage. A maximum output power of 35W and a maximum current of 4A are sufficient for many applications.
On the front of the housing, there are the output terminals on the left, the ZK-4KX module in the middle and an on/off switch on the right, which can be used to switch on the mini-lab power supply. On the rear side there is a DC socket. This allows the power supply to be operated with all common DC power supplies that deliver between 5 and 30V.
Supplies
Tools and machines used: soldering iron, 3D printer, optional: laser cutter
Order links, of the parts used in this project:
Step 1: Making the Parts
The housing itself consists of a 3D-printed center part and two laser-cut lids on the bottom and top. The lids can also be made with the 3D - printer. I have attached the files for this. The individual housing parts are screwed together using M3 screws.
Step 2: Assembly
The assembly is quite simple. Soldering is required for the DC socket. Heat shrink tubing over the solder joints prevents the possibility of a short circuit. Besides these connections can be screwed all the others. A simplified overview of the wiring is shown. At the end the covers are screwed on.
